Paperback book holder

ABSTRACT

A holder for paperback books, useful either in normal reading or for display purposes. The book is supported by a body member, formed from rigid sheet material and having upper and lower pairs of claws which extend from opposite sides of the body member and overlie the top and bottom of the left and right pages. For display use, a support member is engaged with the body member and positioned on a horizontal surface so that the book is inclined at a slight angle to the vertical.

United States Patent [191 Johnson et al.

[ July 29, 1975 ,1 1 PAPERBACK BOOK HOLDER [75] Inventors: Gary L. Johnson; Michael W. Maki,

both of Minneapolis, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Dimason, Inc., St. Paul, Minn.

[22] Filed: Apr. 30, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.1 355,729

[52] U.S. Cl. 248/460; 248/452; 248/453 [51] Int. Cl. A47B 97/04 [58] Field of Search 248/445, 446, 448, 451,

[56] 1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,513,027 10/1924 Belli..; 40/152 UX 1,554,979 9/1925 Dugan 248/448 1,959,843 5/1934 Sprague 248/451 X 2,642,190 6/1953 Kelly 248/126 UX 3,288,416 11/1966 Franklinm. 248/300 X 3,330,524 7/1967 Foley.... 248/452 X 3,579,888 5/1971 Burnham 248/452 X FOREIGN PATENTS OlR APPLICATIONS 945,551 11/1948 France 248/470 211,636 7/1956 Australian 40/l52.1 289,835 5/1914 Germany 248/470 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner--Thomas J. Holko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard E. Brink [57] ABSTRACT A holder for paperback books, useful either in normal reading or for display purposes. The book is supported by a body member, formed from rigid sheet material and having upper and lower pairs of claws which ex tend from opposite sides of the body member and overlie the top and bottom of the left and right pages. For display use, a support member is engaged with the body member and positioned on a horizontal surface so that the book is inclined at a slight angle to the vertical.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAPERBACK BOOK HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to book holding and display devices.

For as long as books have been in existence, every reader has been faced with the problem of keeping the pages from turning when his hand is not maintained on the page he is reading. Musicians have encountered the same problem, finding it especially disconcerting to have a page flip over in the midst of a complicated cadenza. The widespread dissemination of paperback books has introduced another dimension to the problem. These books are especially springy and tend to snapshut unless the reader uses both hands to grip the opposite pages. Nor is it any use to severely flex the spine of such a book to crack it, for doing so often loosens pages or causes the book to fall apart.

Over the years, a variety of devices have been developed to assist those persons wishing either to read or display books. Illustrative of such devices is the music rack shown in US Pat. No. 760,299, where an adjustable H-shaped frame is provided with a hook portion at the end of each leg of the frame; this rack is not useful alone, but must rest on a permanent music rack. US. Pat. No. 939,942 discloses a display holder in which a frame is formed from a single bent wire and optionally provided with clips at the top and bottom; although this device is perhaps usable for display purposes, it is in convenient for conventional use because of the fact that pages cannot be turned without removing the clip. Still another approach to the problem is shown in US. Pat. No. 41 1.295, which depicts a music book holder having an S-shaped flange extending along the top and bottom; again, the user cannot turn the pages without considerable inconvenience.

In summary, it is believed that prior to the present invention there has never existed a simple, sturdy, versatile holder which can be used both for conventional reading purposes and display purposes. The present invention is directed to the meeting of this previously unfilled need.

SUMMARY The present invention provides an inexpensive, easily constructed, versatile holder for paperback books and offers advantages not previously available. When used by a reader, the holder maintains the desired location in the book, while simultaneously permitting the easy turning of pages. The device also provides a convenient way of marking the page at which one stopped reading or to which he wishes to refer at a later date. By means of a simple attachment, the book holder is also converted to a display device.

The book holder of the invention comprises a generally flat body portion formed of rigid sheet material. Integral with the body portion, at one end thereof is a pair of tabs which are turned upwardly for a fixed distance and then turned inwardly over the body portion so as to be parallel thereto thereby forming laterally spaced claws,; a corresponding pair of laterally spaced claws is provided at the opposite side of the body portion. In use, a book is positioned with its spine against the body portion, the top pair of laterally spaced claws gripping, respectively, the top of the left page and the top of the right page. The opposite pair of laterally spaced claws grips, resepctively, the bottom of the left page and the bottom of the right page. For use as a display stand, a support member is engaged with the body member to maintain the latter at a desired angle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Understanding of the invention will be facilitated by referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numbers refer to like parts in the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the holder of the invention, showing it employed as a display stand, with a paperback book depicted in dashed lines;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support member useful in connection with the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the holder shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Understanding of the invention will be further aided by examining a specific embodiment of the foregoing device in somewhat greater detail.

As shown in the drawing, holder 10 comprises generally rectangular body member 11, having substantially the same length and width dimensions as the paperback book which is to be held, and support member 20, the latter being employed when it is desired to utilize holder 10 for display purposes. Body member 11, which is advantageously formed from a thermoplastic synthetic polymeric material such as polystyrene or polymethylmethacrylate, is sufficiently rigid to prevent distortion in ordinary use. It has been found, for example, that body member 11 may be formed from 3/32- inch polystyrene sheet material, which may be clear, colored, or pigmented as desired. At one end of body member 1 l a pair of tabs extend and are turned upward and then inward over body member 11, forming, respectively, a pair of laterally spaced claws 12 and 13. For reasons which will be shown, the distance between the outer edge of claw 12 and the outer edge of claw 13 is preferably about the same as the width of a conventional paperback book.

At the opposite end of body member 11, claws 14 and 15, corresponding to claws 12 and 13, are provided. The distance between the inner aspects of claws 12 and 14 (and, correspondingly, the distance between the inner aspects of claws 13 and 15) is slightly greater than the height of a typical paperback book.

As is shown in FIG. 1, when a paperback book is placed with its spine against body member 11, the left pages will be held by claws 12 and 14 and the right pages by claws l3 and 15. When a reader desires to turn a page, he inserts his fingers beneath the lateral middle of the upper right page, pulling it free of claws 13 and 15, turning it to the left and then forcing it under claws 12 and 14. If the reader desires to mark his place, he slides the book to the left, so that the dividing lines between the two exposed pages lies at the left edge of claws 12 and 14. He then closes the book over claws 12 and 14, tucking the front cover and upper pages under claws 13 and 15. It will be readily apparent that pages can be turned, and locations can be marked, by performing operations which are mirrow images of those just described.

When it is desired to employ the holder of the invention for display purposes, various techniques may be employed. In the upper central portion of body member 11, hole 16 has been provided, permitting the device to be mounted on a hook or nail. Other hanger means may also be employed to achieve the same effect. Alternatively, it may be desired to mount the holder on a horizontal surface, with the book mounted so as to be displayed at a predetermined angle (prefera bly about l30) to the vertical. Although various support means may be employed to achieve this result, a simple and convenient one is shown in the drawing and will now be described.

As is shown in FIG. 1, claws 14 and 15, before turning upward, extend slightly beyond the edge of body member 11, the edge and the inner aspects of claws l4 and 15 thereby defining a notch. FIG. 2 depicts a generally T-shaped support member comprising bar 21 and post 22, which preferably lie in slightly different planes, i.e., at an angle to each other. The width of post 22 corresponds to the width of the notch previously mentioned, and is inserted therethrough from the front side of holder 10, with bar 21 resting on claws 14 and 15. When the holder is then stood so as to rest on support member 20, the notched portion of body member 11 is supported by post 22. Body member and support member 20 are thus held in engaged position by a combination of gravitational and leverage forces. Good results have been obtained with an arrangement which provides for the back of body member to be disposed at 'an angle'of about 20 to the vertical. To avoid marring the horizontal surface on which holder 10 rests, it

is'desirable to impart a smoothly rounded curve to that portion of claws 14 and 15 which turn upward from body members10.

The versatility of the holder of this invention makes ita valuable aid to readers troubled with arthritis, as well as to students excerpting portions of a paperback text; Typists copying portions of a paperback book similarly discover that the holder is easy and convenient to use Housewives find the holder especially valuable in keeping their paperback cookbooks open to the recipe being followed. Many other applications will readily occur to readers of paperback books.

It will also be recognized that the specific illustrative device described is subject to a broad spectrum of variations without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, stability of the holder may be enhanced by broadening the base of the support member; other support members may also be employed. Sizes and shapes of the members may also be varied. Although it would be possible to make the dimensions of the holder adjustable, it is generally both more economical and more satisfactory to utilize a fixed holder of the appropriate size. The component parts of the holder may be made stronger by fabricating them from metal or fiber-reinforced resin compositions. Numerous other modifications are clearly within the skill of the art. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined only by the following claims, with full reference to the doctrine of equivalents.

We claim:

1. A holder for maintaining a paperback book in an open position, permitting the pages to be turned without removing the book from the holder, comprising in combination:

a. a generally flat body portion having top and bottom ends and having substantially the same width and height dimensions as said paperback book, formed of rigid sheet material, and

b. integral with said body portion,

i. at the top end thereof, turned outwardly therefrom for a fixed distance and then turned inwardly thereover so as to be parallel thereto, a first pair of laterally spaced claws, and

ii. at the bottom end thereof, turned outwardly therefrom for a fixed distance and then turned inwardly thereover so as to be parallel thereto. and lying parallel to said first pair of claws, a second pair of laterally spaced claws, each of said pairs of claws having inner and outer edges and the distance between the outwardly extending portions of said first and second pairs of claws slightly exceeding the height of said paperback book and the distance between the outer edges of each of said pairs of claws approximating the width of said paperback book, at least one pair of claws, before turning outward, extending slightly beyond the edge of the body portion with which said one pair of claws isintegral, said one pair of claws and edge thereby defining a notch, and

c. a generally T-shaped support member having an upright and a cross bar, the cross bar of said T- shaped support member resting within said one pair of claws and the upright of said T-shaped support member extending through the notch so as to rest on a horizontal surface, thereby maintaining said holder at a predetermined angle.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein the predetermined angle is lO-30 from the vertical.

3. The holder of claim 1 wherein the body portion is provided with a hanger means to permit mounting on a vertical surface.

4. The holder of claim 1 wherein the claws and body portion are formed from a single sheet of synthetic thermoplastic polymer.

5. The holder of claim 1 wherein the body portion and the support member are held in engaged position by a combination of gravitational and leverage forces and are readily engaged and disengaged at the option of the user.

6. The holder of claim 5 wherein each of the claws adjacent the notch is joined to the body portion along a smooth curve.

7. The holder of claim 6 wherein both the body portion and the support member are formed from synthetic thermoplastic polymeric sheet material. 

1. A holder for maintaining a paperback book in an open position, permitting the pages to be turned without removing the book from the holder, comprising in combination: a. a generally flat body portion having top and bottom ends and having substantially the same width and height dimensions as said paperback book, formed of rigid sheet material, and b. integral with said body portion, i. at the top end thereof, turned outwardly therefrom for a fixed distance and then turned inwardly thereover so as to be parallel thereto, a first pair of laterally spaced claws, and ii. at the bottom end thereof, turned outwardly therefrom for a fixed distance and then turned inwardly thereover so as to be parallel thereto, and lying parallel to said first pair of claws, a second pair of laterally spaced claws, each of said pairs of claws having inner and outer edges and the distance between the outwardly extending portions of said first and second pairs of claws slightly exceeding the height of said paperback book and the distance between the outer edges of each of said pairs of claws approximating the width of said paperBack book, at least one pair of claws, before turning outward, extending slightly beyond the edge of the body portion with which said one pair of claws is integral, said one pair of claws and edge thereby defining a notch, and c. a generally T-shaped support member having an upright and a cross bar, the cross bar of said T-shaped support member resting within said one pair of claws and the upright of said T-shaped support member extending through the notch so as to rest on a horizontal surface, thereby maintaining said holder at a predetermined angle.
 2. The holder of claim 1 wherein the predetermined angle is 10*-30* from the vertical.
 3. The holder of claim 1 wherein the body portion is provided with a hanger means to permit mounting on a vertical surface.
 4. The holder of claim 1 wherein the claws and body portion are formed from a single sheet of synthetic thermoplastic polymer.
 5. The holder of claim 1 wherein the body portion and the support member are held in engaged position by a combination of gravitational and leverage forces and are readily engaged and disengaged at the option of the user.
 6. The holder of claim 5 wherein each of the claws adjacent the notch is joined to the body portion along a smooth curve.
 7. The holder of claim 6 wherein both the body portion and the support member are formed from synthetic thermoplastic polymeric sheet material. 